The dr said we could amputate his leg

I spent some time at the vet this afternoon and our choices are limited.

We can remove the tumor surgically and they will try to ‘get it all’, but wont know the percentage until its sent to the lab after the surgery. They will have to go down in his muscles and up, down, and around it, cutting down deep. He said its very common to NOT get it all because of this type of growth. It apparently grows with little tentacles down into the muscles.

Or we can amputate his leg, which is what the dr appears to be leaning towards.

He said that *if* it hasn’t spread through the rest of his body, that could be the end of it and he could live out his life. We can do ultrasounds to see, but that wont necessarily tell us if he has cancer anywhere else or if it will come back unless there is already a large tumor elsewhere in his body that will show up on the screen.

The tissues have been sent off to the pathologist (i think thats right) and that we should know by the end of the week or Monday what the dr recommends.

Ultimately the choice is ours.

He said they already did an in house look on the microscope and that he is sure its cancer from the rabies vaccination, but *just in case* he wants us to wait. The part in the vaccine that caused it has now been REMOVED from the future vaccines of pets, but not before my cat was a victim.

Really, our only option is to take off his leg and pray it heals and doesn’t spread any more from that. Taking a leg from a cat just seems so cruel, but its better then his life.

Its all I can do for him.

The Dr shaved all his hair around the tumor and its incredibly large and looks painful. Its bleeding from the biopsy today still.

Thanks for your support, I (and Sebastian) really apprieciate it.

He is resting right now.

~Trisha